Service, Justice & Ministry Partners
Your Service & Justice Committee is looking for YOUR feedback!
We want to learn how we can support you as you live out God's call through our Immanuel community. Please complete this brief survey to help us understand how we can better support you in responding to God. Your insights will be vitally important in shaping the future of our shared mission. Together, we can ensure our efforts align with God's purpose and make a lasting impact with our ministry partners.
Survey LINK (Responses accepted through June 15.)
PROP Summer Food Program 2025
PROP provides nourishment to people in our community experiencing food insecurity. PROP also offers comprehensive support to Eden Prairie and Chanhassen residents facing financial, housing or employment insecurity so that they may reach their goals for a more secure tomorrow. During the summer months need increase as kids are home from school. This year Immanuel has been challenged to provide 1,350 5oz cans of tuna in water. Beginning in May we will work to reach a monthly goal of 450 cans for each month: May, June, July.
Donations can be delivered to the collection corner in the Atrium at Immanuel. Cash donations are also needed. Click GIVE and select the fund for PROP to give a financial gift towards the summer campaign.
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Project
NEXT WORK DAY: Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 8:30am-3:30pm in Columbia Heights (REGISTER)
Choose from ONE of the following jobs:
- Construction team
- lunch for the workers
- photography
No experience required. Minimum age 16 for construction volunteers. Not only do we build a home, we build community, putting our faith into action. Come join us and help make the dream of home ownership a reality.
If you are interested please contact Ruth Lunde or Lynn Swanson at 952.974.1689.
Community Meals
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a cookout and meet neighbors at our partner congregations in Minneapolis. Volunteers are needed to help prepare and serve. You are invited to enjoy a meal and community even if you can't commit to serving! Register for one or both HERE!
- Salem Lutheran: Tuesday, June 17, 4pm-6:30pm
- Redeemer Lutheran: Wednesday, June 25, 4-8pm (We will use their pizza oven!)
Humanity Alliance Food Pack Event
Help prepare food for families in need
Monday, June 23, 5-7pm in Victoria (REGISTER)
The Humanity Alliance prepares and delivers thousands of meals each week to families in need. Most of the families are in Carver or Hennepin county, however some are in other areas also. Adults and youth can come to help prepare food. Immanuel confirmation students as well as adults have volunteered in the past, and found it to be rewarding and fun! Volunteers can either carpool (meet at 4:30 pm in the Immanuel parking lot) or to meet at the Humanity Alliance in Victoria (arrive before 5 pm). Read more about the Humanity Alliance. Contact Ruth at lundeworld@yahoo.com if you have questions.
Ministry Partner Visits
Here at Immanuel, we are blessed with some incredible congregational partners and over the summer we invite you to join Deacon Savannah in attending worship with each of them! You can see the dates for each below, and please sign up HERE if you plan to attend.
- June 29th – Salem Lutheran Church, 10 am (carpool from Immanuel at 9:15am)
- July 21st – Cristo Obrero at Canterbury, 6pm (carpool from Immanuel 5:15pm)
- August 3rd- All Nations Indian Church, 10:15 am (carpool from Immanuel at 9:30 am)
- August 24th – Redeemer Lutheran Church, 10:30 am (carpool from Immanuel at 9:45am)
Lutheran World Relief Matching Gift Campaign - May 2025
Supporting the Education of Young Girls in Sierra Leone
We know that education is one of the best pathways out of poverty. But in many places, the cost of tuition and supplies — plus the lost income from sending children to school rather than work — prevents many young people from getting an education. This year Lutheran World Relief has launched a new education initiative in Sierra Leone and we at Immanuel are committing to helping them in this work! We EXCEEDED our goal of supporting 40 students and raised funds to support 42! Thank you for your generous donations.
Little Dresses for Africa
Humanitarian relief to the most vulnerable of God’s children
If you can do basic sewing, we have a perfect project for you! Pillowcase dresses, made by volunteers from around the world, go out as little ambassadors to plant in the hearts of little girls that they are worthy. As relationships are built, projects are completed through clean water, education and community. Premade kits are available to make six pillowcase dresses. Pick up a kit in the atrium at Immanuel. Donations of pillowcases, rickrack, bias tape and thread are also welcome. For more information contact Ilene McCluskey 952-941-8471.
Our Immigrant Neighbors
Update from the Service & Justice Committee
We, your Immanuel Service & Justice Team, share your concerns about our neighbors who are immigrants. We are following our partners’ leads and accompanying them in short- and long-term efforts they indicate are useful. Please call Immanuel’s office (952-937-8123) to volunteer as a notary, lawyer (especially with immigration experience), Spanish-speaker and/or copying assistant. We also anticipate fundraising events with our partners. The Team also is using guidance and resources from:
- Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service [LIRS])
- ELCA’s AMMPARO Migrant Ministry (including their Facebook posts)
- Lutheran Social Service’s Refugee Services
We will update you as we receive additional information. If you know someone who is seeking immigration information, please contact us. You can help by supporting local businesses, including restaurants, owned and/or operated by folks who are immigrants. They may be struggling because their usual customers are staying home out of fear.
Minneapolis Area Synod Resources
In recent weeks, our synod office has received requests for resources and information about immigration, ICE enforcement, and support for immigrant communities. They have compiled a webpage in English and Espanol with pastoral messages, trainings, resources, articles, and other helpful links related to the recent executive orders and the impact they have on those in our communities. If you have resources to share, please send to Nicholas Tangen.
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Truth & Healing Group
During the past year the ELCA has initiated the “Truth & Healing Movement” as an intentional opportunity for the church to increase it’s understanding of our colonizing impacts on Indigenous people in the past and present. The movement is focused on providing opportunities to learn the true, and largely ignored, history and current realities of Indigenous people with the hope that by listening and learning, these truths will bring healing for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike.
At Immanuel, we have decided to start a group committed to this work within our own context here in Eden Prairie and in Minnesota. We will be meeting monthly over the course of the next 9-12 months to learn together and to form our own action plans for how we might be better neighbors- following the guidance of Native Governance Center. Learn more!
Have an Hour or Two?
Become an on-call servant!
We know your life is busy but we also know you have a heart for helping others. We can help! Immanuel often has opportunities to assist with projects that require a very limited time commitment. Consider joining our On-Call Servant email list! When a need arises we will send an email and if you are available to help, let us know. It's that easy! Send an email to Sarah (sarah@immanuel.us) in the office and you will be added to the distribution list.
Diaper Squad
Support our partner Redeemer Lutheran as they help with a food shelf in their neighborhood. Donations ofbaby wipes and diapers of all sizes are needed - these items are in high demand for families accessing food shelves. Volunteers are needed to deliver diapers to N. Minneapolis the first Saturday of the month.
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.